Manually operated means for propelling boats



June 10, 1952 H. SWENSON Y MANUALLY OPERATED MEANS FOR PROPELLING BOATS 2 smETs-srmm 1 Filed Jan. 3. 1949 a u h fi 1 f 2 z m m a 7 m 2 M Z .0 a T 3 Wu mi 8 3 mm v f/ m ,0, W gz June IO, 1952 cjHfswENsoN 2,599,791

' MANUALLY OPERATED MEANS FOR PROPELLING BOATS I Filed Jan. 25,1949; V U ,2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I rag Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAN UALLY OPERATED MEAN STOR; PROPELLING BOATS Claus H. Swenson, Minneapolis, Minn.

Applicati'onJanuary 3, 1949', 'S'erial No; 68,937

11'Claims. 1.

Myii'nvention relates to improvements in boat propulsion and. more particularly to propellers actuated xbyi'manually operated pedals.

Theobjec't of this invention is to provide novel propellers, pedals and operatin connections from the pedals to the propellers.

Totheabove end the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices herein.- afterdescribed and defined in the claims.

In the: accompanying drawings, which illustrate'the invention, like characters indicate like partsrthroughout the several views.

Referringyto the drawings:

Fig.1 is a perspective view of a row boat having the invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partly in elevatio and partly insectiontaken on the line 2-2 of Fig." 1, on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 3is. a fragmentary detaiLview principally in. section taken on the line .'i-."s of Fig. 2, and also'showing by means of broken. lines, a foot applied tothe'rocking plate'on-one of the pedals;

Fig; 4 is azfragmentary view partly in planand partly in section takenon theline 4'-4' of Fig. 1. on'the same scale as Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view principally in elevation with some parts sectioned on'the line 5-5- of Fig. 4;

Fig. '6=isa sideielevationzview of the propeller shown in. Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail-view principally in section, taken-on the line 1-1- of Fig. 4, onan enlargedscale;

Fig.1 8is a detail view withv some parts sectioned-on the line .88 of Fig. l, on the same scale as Fig.7;

Fig. 9" is an outside elevational view of the parts shown in: Fig. 8; and.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentaryplanview of the parts shown in- Fig.5 9.

The invention is. shown embodied in-a row boat; indicated asan entirety by the numeral 1 l with the exception of the center bow facing seat l2 and the gunwales l3.

The'numerall4 indicates a'pair of propellers for propelling the'boat llyand the numeral l5 indicates a pair of pedals for independently operating said propellers. The propellers Hi,- the pedals I5, and theparts associatedtherewith are identical therewith the one with the other with the exceptionthat they are rights andlefts.

The pedals [5 are located between the seat l2 andthe" bow of the boat H and each thereof is a" vertically disposed,. relatively U-shapedmemher, the upper ends ofwhich are connected by az-cross-tierod' IS on which-is mounted a tubularhand-hold ll. Each pedal l5, at itspintermed-iateportiom issecured by bearings l8 to the inner end portion of a longsleeve 'l9 that -extends-transversely under said pedal. This sleeve I3 is turnably mounted on a fixed rod 20-that extends across the boat I I, and is mounted at its end portions, in bearings-2| secured to'the-gun- Wales- I3.

On theouter end portion of each sleeve l9*isan upstanding crank-arm 22 having. on its upperend portion an'out-turned crank-pin 23that is paral lel to -said sleeve. Each pedal: I 5 is provided with a rocking foot plate 24'having at its longitudinal center, a transverse rod 25 to which it is rigidly secured. This rod- 25, at itsendportionseis journaled in bearings 26 on the pedal-"t5:- The foot plate 24 fills the space in thepedal' [5* below its sleeve I9 except for a working clearance. Each pedal. l5 is yie1ding1y held -retracted by a pair of coiledspringsil anchored'atoneof their ends to an eye 28 on the inner sideof therespectiv'e gunwale'1'3. These" springs 21- are-in diverging relation -fromthe eye ZB'and are-attaclied at their other'end to eyes29 secured to thepedal I5, the one above and the other below the-rod The 'foot on the'foot plate 24,- shownbybroken lines in Fig.3, is designated by the letter a.

Each propeller M comprises apairof duplicate fiat rectangular blades 30 connected-by a hinge 3! for opening andclosing' movement in substantially' a horizontal plane; These'*blades-- 30, when in operativeor propellingpositions; are in rearwardly divergin'grela'tion andare folded the one uponv the other; when'in' inoperative positions, and being drawn through-the water-by the forward movement of theboat I I. The propellers M" are connected to-the crank-pins 22'by a pair of long tubular guiderods 32. Theseguide'rods 32, at their forward ends. terminatein' bifurcated loop-like bearings 33-in which-the crank -pins-2-2 are turnably mounted andhave alimited relatively circumferential movement. Nuts 3d -applied to the'outerend portions of the crank-pins 22 hold the bearings 33 thereon. Apairof-rearwardly projecting-upper and lower bearingarms 35 are rigidly secured to the rear end portion of each guide rod 32. These bearingarms 35 diverge from the guide rod 32 and their free end portions are parallel, and the end portions of the pintle 36 of the hinge 3 larejournaled therein and support the propeller therefrom.- This pintle 36; as shownis in the form of a nut-equipped bolt'. I

Rigidly secured to the propeller blades 30', at their vertical centers and outer facesg isa pair of forwardly projecting crank arms 31 in crossed arrangement, and their free end portions are in the form of hooks 38. In each tubular guide rod 32 is a pair of small control rods 39 having on their forward ends eyes 40, through which the respective crank-pin 22 projects. On the rear ends of the control rods 39 are eyes 4| with which the hooks 38 on the crank-arms 31 interlock. The guide rods 32 at their intermediate portions, slidably rest on concave guide rollers 42 journaled in U-shaped brackets 43. The brackets 43 have on the upper ends of their inner side members hooks 44 that extend transversely over the gunwales I3 and downwardly on the inside thereof. Lock screws 45 have threaded engagement with the hooks 44, impinging the inner sides of the gunwales l3 and rigidly secure the brackets 43 thereto.

Each guide rod 32 is held on its guide roller 42 by a similar concave roller 46 journaled in a pair of rearwardly projecting arms 41 rigidly secured to a transverse pin 48 journaled in the side members of the bracket 43. A coiled spring 49 is attached to the outermost arm 41 and anchored therebelow "to the bracket 43, as indicated at 50. Obviously, the springs 49 yieldingly hold the rollers 46 pressed onto the guide rod 32, and in turn hold said guide rods on the guide rollers 42. p The rollers 46, which are yieldingly held for swinging movement, in addition to holding the guide rods 32 on the rollers 42 perform another important function in which they act as brakes to retard endwise movements of the guide rods 32 so that they will not interfere with the control rods 39in the act of operating the propeller blades 30. r

' -As heretofore stated, the springs 21 yieldingly hold the foot-plate equipped end portions of the pedals I retracted. An operator on the seat !2 with his feet on the foot plates 24 imparts forward movement to the boat I l by pressing forwardly on said foot plates, turning the foot pedals and the sleeves l9, to which they are attached, about the axis of the rod 20. This turning movement of the sleeves l9 swings the crank arms 22 rearwardly, and the initial movement thereof moves the crank pins 23 in the looplike bearings 33 which imparts rearward endwise movement to the rods 39 and said rods, in turn, acting on the crank arms 31, opens the propeller blades 30. Further rearward movement of the crank-arms 22 brings the crankpins 23 into engagement with the front ends of the guide rods 32, which at this time are held by the resistance of the water on the open blades 30. With the crank pins 23 held by the guide rods 32, as a base of resistance, force applied to the pedals l5 by the operator will cause the crank-arms 22 to swing about the axis of the crank-pins 23 and thereby move the boat H forwardly in the water. ,When the operator releases pressure on the pedals I 5, the tensioned spring 21 will retract said pedals and thus swing the crank-arms 22 forwardly and also move the crank-pins 23 in the bearings 33. This movement of the crank-pins 23 in the bearings 33 will pull the control rods 39 forwardly and thus operatethe crank-arms 31 to close the blades 30 so,

that they will be moved forwardly in the water withvery little resistance. The rear end portions of r the control rods 39 will freely bend during opening and closing of the blades 30.

If desired, the pedals may be operated by arm movement simply by grasping the hand-holds I1.

The rocking foot plates permit the pedals of which are intermediately pivoted on the supports, each pedal having a crank-arm operatively connected therewith, a pair of propellers, connections from the crank arms to the propellers, a rocking foot plate mounted in ,each pedal between its transverse member and said support, and a hand-hold on the upper end portions of said side members of the pedals.

2. In a device of the. class described, a transverse shaft having bearings at its ends, a pair of turnable sleeves onthe shaft, a vertically disposed U-shap'ed pedal secured to the inner end portion of each sleeve, a foot plate on each pedal between its transverse member and the shaft and intermediately pivoted to the side members of the pedals, a crank-arm on the outer end of each sleeve, a pair of propellers, and connections from the crank-arms to the propellers.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which the side members of the pedals are intermediately secured to the sleeves, and further including a hand-hold on the upper end portion of the pedals.

4. In a device of the class described, a transverse shaft having at its ends bearings applicable to a boat, a pair of turnable sleeves on the shaft, a vertically disposed U-shaped pedal intermediately secured to the inner end portion of each sleeve, a foot plate in each pedal between its transverse member and the shaft, and intermediately pivoted to the side members of the pedal, a cross-tie pin connecting said side members at their upper end portions, turnable tubular hand-holds on said pin, a crank-arm on the outer end of each sleeve, a pair of propellers, and connections from the crank-arms to the propellers. V

5. The structure defined in claim 4, further including yielding means applicable to the boat as an anchor, attached to each pedal and under strain to retract the same.

6. In a device of the class described, a transverse shatft having at its ends bearings applicable to a boat, a pair of turnable sleeves on the shaft, a vertically disposed U-shaped pedal intermediately secured to the inner end portion of each sleeve, a foot plate in each pedal between its transverse member and the shaft and intermediately pivoted to the side members of the pedal, a cross-tie pin connecting said side members at their upper end portions, a tubular hand-hold on the pin, a spring for retracting each pedal and having at one end means for anchoring the same to said boats, the other end of the spring being attached to the outer side member of the respective pedal, a crank-arm on the outer end of each sleeve, a pair of propellers, and connections from the crank-arm to the propellers.

'7. In a device of the class described, a pair of crank-arms applicable to a boat, and means operatively connected to each crank-arm for independently operating the same, a pair of tubular guide rods attached at one of their ends to the crank-arms, a pair of propulsion blades attached to each guide rod, control rods in the guide rods for actuating the propulsion blades from the crank-arms, and a pair of brackets applicable to the sides of the boat and having rollers on which the guide rods are intermediately supported.

8. The structure defined in claim '7, further including yielding means anchored to the brackets and holding the guide rods on the rollers.

9. The structure defined in claim 7, further including pressure rollers attached to the brackets for vertical swinging movement, and springs anchored to the brackets and yieldingly holding the pressure rollers on the guide rods in offset positions relative to the first noted rollers.

10. In a device of the class described, a pair of crank-arms, means attached to each crankarm for independently operating the same, said crank-arms having on their outer ends crank pins, a pair of rearwardly projecting tubular guide rods, said guide rods having in their front end portions longitudinal slots through which the crank pins project, a propeller comprising a pair of hingedly connected blades pivoted to the rear end portion of each guide rod, and connections in the guide rods actuated by the crank pins for opening and. closing the propeller blades.

11. In a device of the class described, a pair of crank-arms, means attached to each crankarm for independently operating the same, said crank-arms having on their outer ends crank pins, a pair of rearwardly projecting tubular guide rods, said guide rods having in their front 4 CLAUS H. SWENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 456,846 Rehm et a1 July 28, 1891 581,650 Briggs Apr. 27, 1897 817,810 Sheen Apr. 17, 1906 826,693 Sheen July 24, 1906 1,737,899 Taylor Dec. 3, 1929 1,914,901 Thompson June 20, 1933 2,399,500 Montalbano Apr. 30, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 369,228 France Nov. 5, 1906 803,249 France June 29, 1936 

